Another Chance
by GW Katrina
Summary: An Alternate Ending fic based off the end of Advent Children. What if Cloud had been asked to make a choice. Resurrection fic, S/Z/A/C
1. Chapter 1

Warning: Alternate Ending for Advent Children. Basically, act as if Aeris and Zack don't say goodbye in the church.

**Another Chance**

On the first floor of the church, celebrations were still going on. Even though night had long since fallen, people were still appearing, guided by lights and rumors. Rumors that the water in this ruined place would cure those who had Geostigma. Water where Cloud Strife had appeared from nowhere, Lifestream itself flashing under the hands of the children before he had simply been there.

So people came. Those who had not been outside when the healing rain had fallen came to be healed. Those who were already cured, or who had never been sick, came to see the miracle with their own eyes. To see the stain of sickness fade away in the green spark of the Lifestream.

And yet others came to see the heroes. Those people who had battled the creature in the city, who had fought Sephiroth himself just a few short years ago. One of them, Cloud, had even brought the healing waters with him when he risen from where ever he had come from. At least that was what was being whispered.

Those sorts of rumors where what had finally drove Cloud into hiding. Unwilling to completely abandon his friends to the seething mass of humanity who were currently destroying the flowers and making far too much noise, Cloud had retreated instead. He had avoided people as much as possible for two years now, and suddenly being forced to deal with so many made him...twitchy. Especially with the near worship more than a few were already directing his way.

So he had escaped. Having been the only one to really explore the church since the destruction of Meteor, he quickly found himself a comfortable spot on the next level up. He managed to catch Vincent's eye so his friends would know he hadn't bolted, then settled back into the shadows. Sighing, Cloud leaned against the handy wall and watched the people. Now that he was no longer the center of focus, he felt much calmer. So many of those below had wanted to see him, talk to him, touch him. They kept talking about how amazing he was for simply appeared in the water, for being at the center of the magic. Ignoring him when he said he wasn't the cause of the healing, he just happened to be there. And far, far too many people had reached for him, running their hands and fingers on him without asking.

Damn it, wasn't a church supposed to be a place of sanctuary? Of peace? What had happened to that? Cloud saw the answer all to readily. Peace was shattered by so many joyous people and too bright lights. As for sanctuary...

Cloud's sanctuary had been ripped from him more times than he could remember. Than he wanted to remember.

Why was he always the one left behind?

"I'm tired," he whispered, the words lost before they reached even his ears. "Why do you constantly send me back? Why can't I ever stay? Is it because I keep killing him, or am I doing something else wrong?"

A hand came to rest lightly on his shoulder. Cloud didn't even flinch. Even though they had made not a sound, he knew his visitors were there. "It's nothing you've done wrong, Spike. You were never sent back as a punishment."

The voice, male and full of sad humor, was as familiar as the touch, and Cloud wished he could lean into it. But past experience told him that if he tried, he would fall, and the voice and touch would vanish. So, instead, he stayed slumped against the wall and simply wished this could go on forever.

"If it's not a punishment, I wonder what is. It certainly feels like one."

"Oh, Cloud," came a second voice, sweet and soft, and Cloud almost cried. "You weren't supposed to be this sad. It hurts us to see you bleed inside like you are." Slender fingers brushed through his hair. "We had hoped you would find someone new."

Watching people come together below him, Cloud felt his eyes burn. "Don't you get it," he whispered, voice rough. "I don't want to find someone new. I had all I could ever want, and you all ended up going away. All of you, and left me alone. And when I get the chance to see you again, to be with you, I'm told no and sent back."

He lifted a shaking hand and rubbed his dry eyes. They burned so bad, and Cloud almost wished the tears would come. Maybe they would drive out the pain. Or maybe not. At least tears would blur their forms so he would only see them as vague shapes, and not the details that would hurt even more.

"And the one I do see, I'm forced to destroy," Cloud continued. "I'm just so very, very tired."

His eyes, marked with Mako, burned bright in the shadowed place he sat in. It was so dim where he sat, it was hard to believe that the floor below him was lit so bright it had no shadows. Somehow, that seemed rather poetic. They were the happy ones down there, who's lives had been full of shadows, and who now had hope. And that hope made their world light up.

But Cloud's hope was dead. Dead and gone, in a place he couldn't touch, and was beginning to think he never was.

"One as young as you shouldn't wish to die so bad, Cloud."

The deep voice made him hurt even worse than the first two, the grip on his heart squeezed so tight that Cloud thought it would simply collapsed. An almost bitter snort escaped him. "You are one to talk. I've heard you talk about escaping your pain that way. And then we came along, and you feared for your life too much to try to die, because you knew we'd drag you back and kick your ass." A raspy, shaky breath. "And now I'm the same, but I don't have anyone coming for me. I've all ready had you."

"You have your friends, Cloud," she whispered again, and he shut his eyes as the feel of her braid slid across his back seconds before she wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "They love you, and it would destroy them if they lost you."

Silence for a moment. Instead of speaking right away, Cloud concentrated on how the stone felt cool against his skin, how the noise of the crowd seemed so much dimmer now, how the multitude of candles used to light the church filled the room with the overwhelming scent of beeswax. He did all that, and put his thoughts in order. Behind him, three ghosts were silent, giving him his time.

"They're losing me either way," he finally answered, feeling the truth of it in his heart. A growing darkness was there. It used to appear on his body in the form of Geostigma, but now it was a dulled, hurting emptiness that ate away at him. "I know they care for me, and maybe even love me, but it just doesn't fit right. Like a puzzle that's missing pieces, nothing else is going to fit in the blank spots without sacrifice."

"And if they choose to make that sacrifice? If they choose to try to fit into that blankness?" The deep voice again, this time Cloud could hear the worry that was so normally hidden. That was enough to tell him they were losing. And, while he didn't want them to lose, he didn't want them to win either, because it was his life they were playing with, and he was so tired of it. Tired of it all.

"Then that will simply leave other blank places, and I'm tired of sacrificing myself. Selfish, I know, but I'm just not willing to give up what little I have left."

"Spike..."

"No. Please... Just, no." Cloud shut his eyes again, wondering when he had opened them once more. He couldn't deal with it, the flash of pain in the eyes that looked at him. He never wanted to hurt them, but he just couldn't deal with this anymore. He had saved the world once, save it from being in danger a second time. Died, at least once that he was aware of. He had watched as the three people who he loved more than anything died in front of him, because of him. Wasn't that enough? Hadn't he gone through enough?

He was on the edge, teetering dangerously, and found he couldn't care enough to save himself.

Somehow, he wasn't sure how, he could sense them looking at each other. There was no noise, no shifting of clothing or bodies, but he knew it just the same. Finally, a soft hand touched his face. "Cloud, please, open your eyes."

Not wanting to, but not willing to ignore the soft plea in that deep voice, Cloud did open his eyes. He watched as silver hair was swept back, and Sephiroth leaned forward to kiss him. It wasn't much, not even a real feeling, but Cloud could feel the sensation ghost over him. Either his own memories providing the sensation or, for once, the spirits being able to be solid for a moment. When Sephiroth pulled away, his own face was full of sadness.

"You can't enter the Lifestream, Cloud," he said, sounding almost as bitter as Cloud felt. "The Planet chose you. For her, you are her Knight, her protector. As such, she won't let you leave. Until she finds someone better, you will be forced to stay here."

Strangely, Cloud felt... Nothing. All the bitterness, the anger, the fear, simply vanished. It was pointless. Everything he did was pointless. No matter what happened, he would be able to do nothing.

Cold washed over him, and Cloud curled in on himself, arms wrapping around knees and burying his face against them, shivering, and wished for nothing more than for everything to stop.

"Spike. Spike, come on. Don't do this. Please? Let us finish before you shut down, please?"

The almost frantic tone of the voice was what made Cloud uncurl enough to watch them with vacant blue eyes. "Come on, Spike. Don't look like that. It reminds me of after the labs."

Another shiver racked Cloud's body at the reminder of what had happened after the labs, but a bit more life appeared in his eyes, and he looked at Zack finally. "What else is there to say? I'm stuck here, and I can't leave."

"There are some choices for you, if you wish," Aeris said, her eyes full of pain as well. "Gaia, as her gift, is letting you decide what will happen next."

"Next?"

A bit of relief crossed the other three's faces. At least Cloud was responding, and that made them relax a bit. "Yes," Aeris continued, her hand reaching out to brush Cloud's cheek. Again, he felt the phantom touch. "You're first choice is this. Sleep. If you want, the Planet will let you sleep between the times she needs you, and let your spirit access the Lifestream. You wouldn't be dead, but neither would you be awake and alone."

"Second choice," Zack started, picking up where she had left. "Rebirth. You know that life is constantly being reborn, recycled like cans, almost. Well, you would stay here, but we three would continue to be reborn, over and over, and coming to find you. She would let us remember you, and let us find you." A grin. "Like a giant Cloud homing device."

Sighing softly at his lover's comments, Sephiroth continued. "The last choice is that we are brought back as we were. Before the madness and the death, and we are tied with you forever. We can't die until you do, and can't enter the Lifestream until you do."

Aeris picked up the explanation again. "The choice is yours, Cloud. What ever you decide will be what happens. Just say it."

It was tempting to just say the third choice, to have them back as his side, but...

"What do you guys think?" For the first time in a while, Cloud smiled softly at the three identical looks of shock. "We were together," he said, answering their unasked question. "Whatever I decide, it will affect you as well. And I will _**not**_ chose without your opinions."

"You know, I remember why I love you, Spike," Zack said, his smile brilliant. Aeris and Sephiroth were also smiling, each a bit more subtle, but there. Cloud felt relieved. He had been so afraid that asking might break the spell, void all the options. Gaia was a bitch at times, and he didn't want to anger her if possible.

"It is your choice, Cloud," Sephiroth started, but held up his hand as Cloud opened his mouth to debate. "But you are right when you say it will affect us. So I will say this. Number three is my favored one, because it would mean we would be together all the time."

Zack grinned. "Rebirth would be interesting just to see what we would look like, but I already grew up once." He ignored the snort that came from Sephiroth's direction, and the eyeroll Aeris and Cloud shared. "Don't really feel like going through it again. And I don't like the idea of your body just sitting here empty." The black haired man shivered. "I vote for three as well."

In the end, Aeris said it best. "I love you, Cloud Strife. I want to be at your side forever and a day."

Looking at all of them, Cloud felt his eyes burn again. He nodded. "Choice number three it is, then." A pause. "How will you come back? Where do I need to go?"

Aeris grinned. "All you'll have to do is to reach for us under the water. Down there, "she pointed to where the water glittered in the candlelight as people still watched as it healed newcomers of Geostigma. "Just reach down and pull us out."

With that, she, and the two men, vanished.

Cloud stood, and started making his way for the ground floor again. There would be chaos, there would be problems as the others saw who had come back, but it wouldn't matter. He would have them at his side again. And with them, he could face anything.


	2. Chapter 2

Cloud took a single step back from the edge, turning to make his way down, when he decided that he didn't really want to _wait_ that long. Instead he turned his eyes downward. It took only a moment of study, and he casually jumped towards the only empty spot on the floor. Considering the kind of leaps he was used to, this one was nothing. He barely had to flex his knees at all to take the shock.

The candles around him flickered out, the breeze from his landing too much for the flames. Cloud almost smiled as he heard a few squeaks at his sudden appearance, but his attention was taken up by something else entirely. The room fell almost completely silent as he moved toward the pool of water. There were whispers, of course. People wondering what miracle he was going to perform next.

Oh, there was going to be some interesting results from this.

He didn't care, though. Cloud had lived too long without the people he cared most for to let anything put him off track.

People scattered from his path, and the Zack part of his mind grinned and whispered that he must look like some avenging angel, all blond and brooding. The rest of his brain told the Zack part to bite it, and they were going to get to deal with the real Zack soon.

The mere thought made Cloud smile.

Time seemed to twist around him. He could see the others moving, his friends, eyes curious to what he was doing. And it seemed to take forever to get to the pool, even though it was only a few long steps away.

Then, like no time had passed at all, he was there.

Staring at the water, which shimmer brightly in the light from candles and lanterns, Cloud could swear he saw the others looking up at him, just waiting for him. All it would take was one step.

Around him, the whispering grew louder. He thought he could hear people saying something about fire, about light. As he stared into the water, he saw what they were talking about. Translucent flames were running along his skin. All colors, greens and violets and blues, they danced along his body, though he could only see them in the reflection of the water. Obviously, he was the only one with that problem since the whispers were what drew his attention to it.

Resisting the urge to shake himself, Cloud knew he would deal with it later. He had a mission.

Stepping forward, Cloud entered the water.

It was cold, enough to make his jaw clench. That little fact didn't stop him, though, and neither did the fact that the water around him took on an iridescent shimmer, brighter than what the surrounding lights made it. The glow spread, driving out the few people who had been in the water. As he made his way further towards the center, he heard the people go silent. Their eyes were heavy on him, waiting to see what he would do next.

The only sounds were the sounds of breathing and of Cloud moving through the water. Until a voice, soft and full of question spoke up.

"Cloud?"

The blond paused, then turned and looked at his friends, eyes mostly on Tifa, who had called his name, worry clear in her voice. "It's okay," he said softly. "I know what I'm doing."

She jerked, and the others stiffened, eyes wide, and Cloud didn't even know why until he reached the center of the pool and looked down. The shimmer of the water was bright, but he was still able to see his reflection in it. And in that reflection he saw a smile he hadn't seen in years. Since Aeris had died, or Zack, or even Sephiroth for the first time.

Hope had been reborn in Cloud, and it showed in his smile.

"This had better work, or all these fancy lights were for nothing," Cloud spoke softly to himself, amused to hear a Zack comment coming from his mouth. He was sure he was going to be teased for that later.

Nervous and frightened, he was almost too scared to do it. What if it didn't work? He knew there was no way he could live through his hope being torn away again.

_"Just reach down and pull us out."_

That was what Aeris had said. Cloud took her at her word.

His hands reached, and he felt nothing. For a moment, the space of a single heartbeat, Cloud was sure he had been tricked.

Then a hand wrapped around his.

Pulling up, Cloud gasped as water dripped off of brown bangs, and Aeris looked up at him. Water streaming off of her, she flung herself into Cloud's arms.

Holding her tight against his body, Cloud spun around in the best circle he could in the waist deep water. He was laughing, and so was she, and it had been so long since they had laughed while in each others arms that it almost hurt to think about. Not any more, though. Now they had so much time to look forward to, so much time to fill with this that nothing could take it from him.

After he spun her once, Cloud sat his lover down. "Two more," he said softly, for her ears only.

A soft laugh, and a quick kiss. "Two more. Better hurry before they get upset and think we don't love them anymore."

Another quick squeeze, and Cloud let his arms drop from around her waist. She took a single step back, her smile in place as she nodded. "Bring them home, Cloud."

He reached again, doubt gone from his heart, and it seemed like no time had passed when another hand grabbed his. This one was larger and broader than Aeris's had been. The black hair that broke the surface was no surprise to Cloud as Zack stood up before him.

"Cloud, I'm disappointed in you," Zack mock frowned at him, and the blond was ready for anything. Just about, anyway. He definitely wasn't expecting what happened next. "When you haven't seen someone in so long, you greet them like this."

The water wasn't as cold as before, though Cloud still didn't appreciate having the back of his head in it. Well, he wouldn't have appreciated it if he had notice it. But with Zack dipping him and kissing him hard, Cloud didn't notice much else. All he knew was the lips against his and the hand he had tangled in Zack's hair, and the firm hands supporting him against his lover's body.

When Zack finally let him up, Cloud goggled for a minute, breathless and trying to convince himself that no, they didn't need to finish this right now. He still had one more person to get out before he could finish that.

Feeling the flush from the kiss still burning his cheeks, Cloud looked at Aeris and Zack. All three of them nodded, and as Cloud reached down one last time, Aeris and Zack took up positions on either side of him, eyes on the crowd.

As Cloud drew the last of their group out, he could hear the gasps and muffled cries as soon as that distinct silver hair appeared on the surface. Thankfully, everyone seemed too shocked to do anything for a moment, because Cloud had no idea what would happen if he was interrupted halfway through pulling Seph out, and he didn't want to know.

Sephiroth stood proud, still taller than the rest of them, not that Cloud had expected different. Instead, he reached up and dragged the last of their group down into a kiss. It was different than the one he and Zack had shared. It was soft, barely a brushing of lips. Pulling back, Cloud smiled up at him. "Welcome back again, Sephiroth."

* * *

When Cloud had leapt from above, Tifa had been startled. That was something completely out of character with the Cloud she had known. He tended to avoid attention, not draw it to him in flashy stunts like that. Not that leaping from the second story was anything big for them, but for most people, it drew attention.

Her curiosity perked up when Cloud started towards to the pool. She had been here earlier when he had been brought by the Lifestream, and it wouldn't surprise her if he had gotten some kind of message. She hadn't been expecting the fire that curled around him, and had spread across the water once he had stepped in. Or the heartbreaking sweet smile when he had looked back at her. She had never seen Cloud smile like that, and it took her breath away to see it now.

Then her curiosity turned to awe as he pulled out Aeris. While there might had been some tension between the girls, they had been friends as well, and Tifa had been just as hurt by Aeris's death as Cloud. When Cloud set the brunette down, Tifa had almost come forward, almost jumped into the pond herself to hug her resurrected friend. Then Cloud reached down again.

This time it was the SOLDIER who had come to Nibelheim with Sephiroth and Cloud. Zack, the man Cloud had pretended to be for so long, who had rescued Cloud from Hojo's lab.

That kiss hurt. After that enthusiastic hug with Aeris, Tifa suspected that there were feelings between those two. She had given up on Cloud as a romantic partner, but she still took the part of surrogate sister, and was content with that. Or, as her feelings when _Zack_ had kissed Cloud said, maybe she wasn't so content after all. But... She had never expected that of Cloud. Aeris, she could see. Zack, well, maybe she should have expected Zack, after the way she had heard Cloud talk of him.

She had assumed that was all. The two people that Cloud had missed most in his life, the ones that it had hurt the most to lose, had come back to them. And, really, it was only fair. Both had died unfairly, protecting Cloud, and he had helped save the planet. Surely he was owed a little happiness.

Her thoughts had been full of confusion when Cloud had reached down a third time. Who else was there for him to pull up, she wondered? He had never really spoken of a third person who had made that much of an impact on his life.

When that silver head broke the surface, Tifa had felt her insides go cold. It... It couldn't be. Cloud wouldn't bring _him_ back. Not after the battle earlier today, or the one two years ago, or the one five years before that.

But it was Sephiroth, who stood there, proud and defiant, eyes glinting evilly as they reflected the light of the water. Tifa clenched her hands, ready to fight. Until Cloud reached up and pulled their enemy down into a kiss. A kiss Sephiroth was more than willing to come down for.

That was just too much. Aeris, she could see. Zack as well. Hell, she was even willing to see the three of them together. But not Sephiroth. Not the man who had burned down their homes, and kill her dad and his mom. The man who had almost destroyed the world.

She had to separate them. After that, after Sephiroth was down, they could talk. Cloud could explain everything then.

Tifa darted forward, hands already raising.

She was fast. That was one of her strengths. She was fast and she was strong.

She just wasn't faster than Zack.

Even as she jumped to the side of the pool and leaped again, hoping to catch Sephiroth from the side, the fighter saw Zack move. Barely saw him more. It was more of his wake in the water that she followed, but then she was caught, her fist wrapped in one of his own, and his free arm curling around her waist to pin her arm to her side, securing her against his body. Beyond him, Tifa could see Cloud and Aeris both flinging themselves between Sephiroth and the others, including Barret's armgun.

Cat eyes looked Tifa's way for a moment, and Sephiroth sighed. "I am perfectly capable of defending myself from even someone as capable as Ms. Lockheart here."

Still holding Tifa, Zack shrugged. "You have gorgeous girls fling themselves at you all the time, Seph, you just don't have a clue on what to do with them. Leave them to me, okay?"

"Excuse me," Aeris said, "but I have perfectly lovely times with Sephiroth on our dates. Are you saying I'm not gorgeous?"

Zack pouted at Aeris. "You didn't fling yourself at him, baby. You kicked him in the knees when he wasn't looking and dragged him off to your church. Spike and I had to rescue the poor man."

At this point, Sephiroth coughed lightly. "If any of you are ready, I think it's time we left before any of those people who left come back with a mob."

Zack slogged over to the edge of the water to set Tifa down on the floor. "If I let you go, you aren't going to use me for a springboard to get to Seph, are you?"

Completely confused by everything, Tifa could only shake her head. Zack smiled at her, violet eyes burning brightly. "You're a sweet kid," he told her softly. "Things are different now. You should wait to talk to Cloud before you do anything. Really. He's not a kid anymore, and he's not stupid. Never was. You've trusted him before. Trust him now."

With that, he let her go. Tifa stared numbly at the four as they carefully left the water, its light dimming and then vanishing as they did. Keeping a wary eye on the other people, Cloud lead the other three towards the door. He looked at Vincent as the man stepped forward.

"Do not vanish on us, Cloud. There is much I would like to talk about."

That was it. He was the only one who said anything as the four people left the church. Tifa wasn't sure if she was angry or if she was relieved.

Nobody had died. And, in all her experience with Sephiroth, it was a first.

"What just happened?" she asked the water and empty air.


	3. Chapter 3

Escape from the church was easy. Everyone besides Tifa was really too stunned to do anything to stop them, and even if they hadn't been, it would have been child's play for them to get away. As it was, it was simple though, and once out, Cloud had quickly taken them through the alleys that tunneled the rubble, the path swiftly turning into a rabbit's warren that the others were lost in.

"Where we going, Spike?" Zack was the first to ask. Aeris and Sephiroth looked curious, or as curious as they ever did, and Cloud had to stop for a minute just to breathe and watch them.

"You guys are here. Really here," he finally whispered and wrapped his arms around Zack, who was the closest one.

The dark haired man was prepared for this, and was quick to return the almost too tight hug. Cloud let his head rest on his lover's shoulder, ear pressed against his neck to hear the strong heartbeat.

"I…. You have no idea how much I missed you guys." Cloud could hear his voice shaking as he clung to Zack. He had grown, matured, lost and found himself since he had lost Zack. Since he had lost Aeris. And definitely since he had lost the real Sephiroth. He was older, and had learned a great deal about life and everything he held dear.

He had missed them. So much that he hadn't really cared about anything else. Selfish, yes, but he couldn't help it.

Now, they were back, and Cloud was shaken beyond anything he would have expected.

"We know," Aeris's soft voice answered, her hands pressing against the small of Cloud's back.

Sephiroth moved so he could card his fingers through Cloud's hair over Zack's shoulder. "It hurt us to see you like that, Cloud. We never wanted you to be left like that."

"We're sorry, Spike. Really, really sorry." Zack kept repeating sorry until Cloud finally moved to pull away. Shaking himself, he looked at them rather sheepishly.

"We're heading to my place. I spend so little time there, I'm not even sure if the others know where I live."

He started down the paths again. "Even if we do have someone try following us, I picked this route for a reason."

The other three exchanged glances. They had watched Cloud as much as possible, but they hadn't been able to watch him all the time. Most of the time, they hadn't been able to watch consistently, so their knowledge of Cloud's life was scattered at best. So none of them knew what he was referring to when he made comments like that.

"What reason would that be?" Sephiroth asked finally.

"That would be us."

Instinct long dormant, long unused, but still remembered, kicked in as Zack and Sephiroth went back to back, while Aeris moved next to Cloud. It didn't matter that none of them had weapons. In fact, in the case of Sephiroth, Zack, and Cloud, they were weapons in their own right, while Aeris lived a good chunk of her life under the Plate, and one needed to be able to defend themselves when they lived there.

Cloud, though, stayed relaxed as the kid seemed to melt out of the shadows. "Redfeather."

"Bluebird."

"Have I ever mentioned that JJ has a strange obsession with birds and their parts?"

The kid, who was maybe fourteen, with his hair in a mass of braids, each decorated with red feathers, shrugged. "Your fault you got chocobo hair."

A snort. "We got to get to my place, and we might be followed. You guys got it covered?"

Redfeather looked at the three people with Cloud. "JJ might not like it you bringing in strangers."

"JJ owes me a hell of a debt. Besides, they are mine."

"Yours? Like as in how Beak is JJ's?"

Cloud nodded. "And I'm just as protective."

A long whistle. "Got it. JJ ain't gonna have no problem with that. I'll pass the message on, so the others won't bug you. Want me to say anything to JJ?"

Glancing back at the other three, Cloud look back at Redfeather. "Tell her that I got my bits, and we'll be at my den."

The grin was bright against Redfeather's dark skin. "Gotcha. See you, Bluebird. JJ wants you to drop in when you get a chance. She told us to let you know if we saw you."

"Monster?"

"Maybe. Birdy missed a checkin, found her out of it with a bite mark. She got better, but she's not the only one who got hit. We can't find it, whatever it is. JJ wants to know if you'll take a look."

A nod. "Sure. Tell her to give me a few days, and I'll come see her."

"Got your bits. She'll understand, and I bet she'll be wanting to meet the ones who caught Bluebird's attention. Specially since you ignore anyone who made a pass at you."

Cloud laughed. "Let her know if she names them after birds or any of their parts, I am not responsible for the results."

Another bright grin. "I'll pass it along. Later, Bluebird."

"Redfeather."

And then their visitor was gone.

Aeris coughed. "JJ? I seem to remember a gang called the Ravens directed by a girl called that."

"That would be her. Saved her from a monster about six months after Meteor. Thing had blue blood, I got soaked in it, she saw me. Nicknamed me Bluebird. I didn't realize," Cloud looked rather bemused, "that getting nicked meant she had pretty much adopted me into her group. We got an agreement. I deal with monsters, she does me favors."

Laughter escaped Zack. "Leave you alone, you start making criminal connections. I'm proud of you, Spike." He grinned, mischief clear on his face. "Or should I call you Bluebird now?"

Faster than any of them expected, Cloud twisted around and his fingers easily found the ticklish spot just under Zack's ribs. With a yelp, Zack withered away, crashing into Sephiroth and pulling Aeris into the middle to defend himself. Cloud, grinning like a madman, abandoned Zack's ribs in favor of scooping Aeris off the ground. Whooping, he turned and darted off with his prize. Helping Zack catch his balance, Sephiroth gave chase with Zack right on his heels.

* * *

It was a panting and almost giddy bunch who showed up at the door of a two story building, and Aeris looked up. "My, we've moved up in the world."

"Better than crashing in a hidden room under a bar? You're probably right."

"I sense a story," Zack singsonged as Cloud opened the door. He got a smile back, then they went inside.

"It's clean, but I guarantee nothing beyond that. When I'm in town, I tend to eat out or with Tifa and the kids." Cloud hissed and smacked his forehead. "Damnit. I forgot about the kids. Marlene is going to be thrilled to see you again, Aeris. And Denzel is going to be furious at me for taking off and not saying bye."

"They'll understand," Aeris said, reaching up to pull Cloud into a kiss. When they pulled apart, she smiled at him. "We're missed you. All we could do was watch you, and it hurt so bad to see you hurting like you were."

This time she was the one Cloud crushed to his chest. He was a bit more gentle with her, since she wasn't Mako-laced like Zack was, but it was just as desperate. "It hurt. I didn't even remember what we had together until after you were gone." His voice shook and his arms trembled as they held Aeris to him. "I forgot you. I forgot Zack. I forgot Seph. How could I forget you guys? Then I remembered, and you were all gone."

"Sssh. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Aeris's voice shook almost as much as Cloud's. "You came back to me after so long and you couldn't remember. It hurt me to see you like that. I could tell it was going to hurt you if I reminded you. Hurt you in some unamendable way to remind you of who I was, of the ones we had both lost." Her voice was breaking as she spoke on. "And I had the idea that…. Of what might come."

A long moment of quiet. "I don't know what I would have done if I had remembered you only to lose you again, Aeris," Cloud said softly. "I don't think I could have survived losing the last one."

Finally, he let go. "So, we can check the kitchen and see if there is anything decent to eat. I tend to stock up on canned goods, since they don't spoil."

She laughed. "If you would turn on the lights, it would be even better. Silly man, forgetting that I can't see as well as you in the dark."

Sephiroth was the one closest to the switch, and he flicked it on without warning, a slight smile on his face as the others blinked rapidly at the sudden brightness. "You," Zack said, "are an evil, evil man. I -knew- I hung out with you for a reason."

"You hung out with him, dear, because you thought he was shiny. Don't deny it." Aeris added, her voice full of light teasing. "You are an absolute magpie when it comes to anything shiny, and they don't come much shinier than Sephiroth does."

"I," Sephiroth added, "am _not_ shiny."

Zack snorted. "Seph, if we put you under light, you reflect. That makes you shiny."

As they stood there and debated back and forth over the issue of Sephiroth's shininess, Cloud simply watched. It was so nice to have them back, but... He felt rather odd, actually. They were there, and they were back. He had them _back._ And he still felt rather lost. Like he was outside, looking through a window at someplace he really wanted to be. It was right there, but he just couldn't reach out and touch it. It felt so damn good to watch them simply interact with each other that Cloud felt a tight spot form in his chest as he realized that, yes, he had them back. That they weren't going away this time.

He could have stood on the outside and watched them forever.

Then warm arms wrapped around him and pulled him back against a familiar form. "You," Sephiroth said low into Cloud's ear, "should not be standing over here. You are supposed to be over there with the rest of us. As you seem to be rather foolish about moving, we will come to you."

The expression on his face must have been hilarious, because Zack laughed and leaned in for a kiss. Cloud sighed softly into it and let himself be pushed back against Sephiroth as Zack decided to reacquaint himself fully with Cloud's mouth. Sephiroth's arms tightened around Cloud as he took on more of the other man's weight, and Cloud made a small, happy hum into the kiss. He knew Aeris was watching, she liked to watch her boys together. Zack called that her evil, pervy side. He then encouraged it by molesting Cloud or Sephiroth in front of her.

Finally, much to his not-happiness, Cloud felt Zack pull away. Not much, but enough he could talk. "We're here, Spike. We came back, and we came back to _you._ Don't think you're getting away from us now." A hard poke into Cloud's chest. "You're ours, and you are stuck with us. No refunds allowed. Got it?"

Cloud grinned. "You sure I can't trade you in for a quieter model? Maybe one that doesn't shed?"

"If that was possible," Sephiroth added calmly, arms still tight around Cloud, "I would have done it years ago. Zack does have a tendency to shed everywhere, doesn't he?"

Not to be left out, Aeris grinned and spoke up as well. "He does. Do you know how often he'd come visit, and I'd do nothing but pick up stuff he just left _everywhere_?"

Zack sniffed, looking at them like he was offended. "Fine. I see how it is. Spike, where's your bathroom, and does it have supplies. I don't know about you guys, but I'm still slightly damp, and I wouldn't mind a hot shower."

"Upstairs and the first door on the right," Cloud said, still blinking at Zack's words. It seemed almost out of character for the man to say things like that. Usually he was much more prone to demonstrating what he felt, instead of saying it.

The black haired man grinned. "And supplies? Don't want to get there and not have any towels or shampoo." When Cloud nodded distractedly, Zack grinned. Spinning, he started for the stairs. As he did, he shoved the suspenders off his shoulders and reached down to peel off his shirt, pausing only a second as he had to tug it from around his face. Cloud found himself staring as Zack shook his head and dropped the shirt off to the side. The man started on the stairs, hands working on the belt he wore.

That's when Cloud found himself over Sephiroth's shoulder as the other man moved to follow Zack. "We should make sure he doesn't shed too much without us around," he said, voice vibrating through his body and into Cloud's stomach. Vaguely wondering when Seph had shed the shoulder armor, which he was grateful for, Cloud saw Aeris pause and pick up Zack's shirt.

"I hope it's a big shower," she said lightly, grinning at Cloud. "Otherwise how will we get clean?"

"I'm sure we'll manage," he gasped out as Seph started up the stairs. "Somehow." He smiled back at her.

"Good." And with an almost hungry look, one that was scary when it was on Aeris's face, she followed them up the stairs, still collecting the clothing Zack was leaving like a trail of bread crumbs. A trail of bread crumbs to happy.


	4. Chapter 4

For the first time in a long time, Cloud woke up warm.

Down right toasty, in fact.

It helped that he had bodies on three sides. Aeris was stretched out back to back with him, and he really couldn't figure out just how she took up so much space, because she wasn't really that big. Curled against his front was Zack, arms pulling him tight against the dark headed man. And draped over all of them was Sephiroth, who was currently impersonating a blanket, and had managed to lay on all three of them at once.

This was something Cloud could get used to. Would get used to, because he had them back, and nothing was going to take them away again.

The warmth, as well as the delicious ache that spread through most his body, meant it took a bit for Cloud to realize that something was off.

Not with the situation in bed. That was perfectly fine, and he was looking forward to repeating it. Something that was outside. He could hear the faintest of noises, words. It sounded like people.

Cloud did, in fact, live in the remnants of the city. Had his own house and everything, though he tended to stay in the guest rooms at Tifa's because being alone was just too much at times. So he was used to the sound of people moving about. This was different. The people weren't moving. He kept hearing the same voices raised up in some type of cry, though his sleepy brain wasn't deciphering what the words were. Slowly, though, he found himself identifying that there were quite a few people outside.

Not really wanting to move, but more than a little concerned and curious as to if there really was a mob forming outside his home, Cloud got up. It took a bit of effort, worming his way from underneath and around the others, and he woke them up at least a little, but nobody else moved off the bed. They did mumble and try to drag him back in, but Cloud was good enough to escape. Padding silently towards the window, Cloud carefully looked out, making sure to stay as far out of sight as possible. Thankfully, his home was two stories, and the balcony gave him a bit of shelter.

There were people outside. But not a mob. Standing in front of the house was a crowd of people, at least thirty. They didn't seem particularly violent, which was Cloud's main concern, but there was a certain raptness to their expressions that worried him. Closest to his front door, three people were preaching at the crowd. This close to the window, Cloud could make out the words easily.

"He is the one who defeated the one who tried to destroy us all! He is the one who brought us healing from the Planet, and she has made it obvious that he is her Chosen one. She has even allowed him to bring back the dead!" That was the lone woman of the three, her gestures wild.

The man to her right took up the flow of words. "How many of you remember Aeris? I remember her. She was sweet and kind and a miracle to all of us who used to live under the Plate. She died helping them, and now she lives again! He has brought her back. The Planet has allowed him to do so, and we should accept that. It allowed him to bring back Sephiroth, himself, the one he had destroyed more than once. The Planet allowed him to do that!"

"I used to work for Shin-Ra, and I know that it was evil." That was the third one, his gestures as wild as the woman's. "We know that he has brought back at least two from beyond death, and I will say that the third, the one with dark hair, he was also dead. I was one of those who helped kill him, and now I've seen what a sin that was! The Planet gave him back to our savior."

Oh, Cloud realized he really didn't like where this was going. He listened carefully as the former Shin-Ra man continued.

"Our Savior, the one who saved us all from death at the hands of Sephiroth and Meteor. The one who brought us the healing waters, to purify those who were tainted. He even brings back the dead. He is obviously more than human, more than any of us. We are not worthy of him, but he graces us with his presence. We shall _make_ ourselves worthy of him, and now we wait for his orders, so that we might become like him."

"Oh, hells no," Cloud muttered. This wasn't good. Not good at all.

"What's wrong, Spike?"

Looking at the bed, Cloud found himself the focus of three sets of eyes. "We," he said lightly, "might have a problem."

That was all it took for Seph and Zack to roll off the bed and look for weapons. Aeris watched him for a moment, then rose and grabbed her clothing. "What is going on?"

Glancing back at the window as he went for his own clothes, which were scattered all over the room, Cloud shook his head. "Not a mob... Well, not like a violent mob. Almost as bad, though."

Taking their cue from the blond, Seph and Zack also began to grab clothing. Zack paused as he looked down at the pants he had just slid on. "Spike, I think these are yours."

Cloud looked. "Yep." He looked at his own. "And I got yours on. They seem to fit fine."

A sigh from Zack. "Die for a few years, and you buff out. It's just not fair." He grinned. "We'll have to look at those muscles in detail later." He and Cloud shared a rather similar smile, full of leering amusement. Aeris and Seph exchanged looks.

"There are two of them," Aeris said, shuddering.

"We're doomed," Seph continued. Both ended up having pieces of their clothing thrown at them.

"Just what kind of mob is it?" Seph asked as he shrugged on his coat.

Cloud grimaced. "A, er, well, worshiping one."

A pause and Zack looked at Cloud with incredulous eyes. "Worshiping one? I can see one trying to kill us all, but worshiping?"

Running his fingers through his hair, Cloud nodded. "They are mentioning stuff about their savior, and I really don't want to deal with them now." He paused, trying to think of what to do. Then he heard the sound of something tapping at the bathroom window.

Carefully, he peered into the small room, which faced the back of the house. He hoped it wasn't some ambitious nut, who would probably only get killed by accident.

He didn't expect the red cloak, or the long dark hair.

Hurrying over, Cloud opened the window, and Vincent slid in. "What the...? Why are you at my window, Vincent?" Cloud finally managed to stutter.

"Especially the bathroom window," came Zack's voice. "The second story bathroom window."

Red eyes looked past Cloud to study the others that were crowded in the bathroom door, then moved to fix on Cloud. "We heard the rumors already this morning, and Cid kindly offered his ship as a place of shelter. As you have no phone, and we didn't want to give your..." He paused, unsure how to describe the people gathering outside.

"Stalkers," Aeris supplied helpfully.

Zack's contribution was "Psycho nut jobs."

Seph quirked a brow as Cloud just shrugged.

"Followers," Vincent finally continued. "The chance to get into your home. So I was elected to come extend the invitation. Cid would have most likely have attempted to deal with the problem a bit more directly." Cloud and Vincent shared a look. Directly as in broken bones directly. Cid was a good man, but more that willing to use a bit of force, especially against people who he decided were better off away from him.

A moment of silence, then Cloud sighed. "Out the window, then?"

Vincent nodded once. "They have not yet entered the back alley. This is your best chance of getting out without being noticed right away."

"Right." With that, Seph scooped up Aeris and nodded for Vincent to go back out. When the other man did, he helped Aeris out the window before following himself. Balancing easily on the edge, he turned to smile back at Zack and Cloud. "Will you gentlemen be joining us?" Not waiting for an answer, he turned, lifted Aeris again, and leapt to the roof of the next building, Vincent following.

The last two men looked at each other, and shrugged almost at the same time. Years of living in tubes in sight of each other, and Cloud toting around Zack's voice in his head for a while, had given them a whole range of unspoken cues. Cloud grinned and waved Zack ahead. "Age before beauty," he smiled.

"We're the same age, kinda," Zack muttered, climbing out the window, "but cause you have a nice ass…." He quickly leapt up after the others. Cloud followed, taking only a moment to close the window the best he could before jumping.

If this was how the day started, he hated to see how the rest of it was going to go.

* * *

Sephiroth had grown up used to being stared at as he had gone through his life. Of course, his life had consisted of being in the labs and having various tests of all types being run on him. Afterwards, during the war and later, he had gotten even more used to people staring at him, usually more than a little fearful. He had proven his worth and what he was capable of, and to most people, that had been enough for them to fear him, even if they did try to hide it.

Fear and respect were the two emotions he was used to having directed his way from most of the world, with very, very few exceptions.

Thus he wasn't exactly sure what to do when they had arrived at the airship and he had been almost forcibly sat down in the galley and had a cup of tea shoved at him by a very…agitated blond man. He thought the man's name was Highwind.

He blinked at it a moment, then took his cue from Cloud, who cheerfully muttered something about damn tea, but snagged sugar and milk anyway and started to drink it. Aeris had simply taken it and told the man good morning and exchanged the general pleasantries one associated with good manners. Zack seemed as bit lost, which made Sephiroth feel a bit better about his own lack of certainty, but the dark haired man adapted fast enough, already joking a bit with the pilot. At least Sephiroth was pretty sure it was joking.

There was a bit of wariness in the eyes that watched him, though. Between Highwind and Valentine, who had introduced himself on the way over, and the various crew who wandered by from time to time, Sephiroth was very much aware of the attitude directed at him. Not that he could really blame them, though. While he did not remember most of what had happened while he was under the influence of Jenova, he did remember some. And that little that he remembered was more than enough to explain the looks of caution that Highwind and Valentine were directing his way.

But there was no fear. Caution, yes. Wariness, of course. He could see the tension in their stances, ready to go for weapons if needed. No fear, though.

That tension was slowly melting away as well. Little by little, their eyes flickering to Cloud, who seemed to be ignoring the undercurrents of feelings all around. Sephiroth knew the man was well aware of what was going on around him, even while seemed absorbed in kicking Zack's leg every time the man targeted him for teasing. Every time that their hosts looked at Cloud, watched him for a moment, they would relax a tiny bit more.

Not that the wariness would ever go away, which was just fine in Sephiroth's opinion. A certain amount of caution was needed to keep people alive, but it was good to not be the target of fear and paranoia. And he could admire how Cloud handled people. Showing them through actions, if not words, that everything was all right.

He had always known Cloud would be amazing one day. It was good to see that he was right in that, if he had been wrong in so many other things in the time before.

"Mind if I sit here?" a soft voice asked him just before Aeris settled herself into his lap while Zack finally playfully lunged for Cloud, drawing a grumble from Highwind about them not breaking his ship or he'd break them. Curling his arm around her, Sephiroth felt the slight curl of a smile on his lips as she snagged a bit of his hair and started braiding it.

"Not at all," he did reply after a moment, draping an arm around her waist. "Might I know what gains me this honor?"

She smiled at him and brushed the end of his hair over his nose. "Cloud's not the only one I've missed, and you're being all introspective and pouty."

"I am not pouty. I am, was, the General of Shin-Ra's military. I do not pout."

"Yes you do, especially when Zack steals the last bit of pie, though I'm pretty sure that's just to get me to bake you another one. Anyway, you have a perfectly nice and comfortable lap, and what better way to make you not pouty than to make myself comfortable on it?"

"I'm sure that Zack or Cloud would have been just as comfortable, and it would have prevented them from currently trying to break all nearby furniture."

"I," Aeris said calmly, finishing that braid and starting on another, "am sure you three will be breaking a lot more furniture once you figure out that Cloud is as sturdy as you guys. Mmm, more Cloud on top…." She turned at smiled sweetly at Highwind's strangled choking sound as the man turned an alarming shade of violet. "Cid, are you all right?"

"Aeris, I didn't need that image in my head," he muttered, tone foul as he continued to cough on the tea he had just inhaled the wrong way.

"Why not? It's a rather pretty one." She hummed and wiggled around on Sephiroth's lap until she was leaning back against him, never escaping the circle of the man's arms. Once she settled, Sephiroth rested his chin on the top of her head. "Can't you imagine Cloud, all sweaty and shiny, over one of the other two here, making them…."

Her words were cut off by a hand over her mouth. Smiling slightly, Sephiroth watched Cloud from the corner of his eye as the man leaned over his shoulder. "Aeris, over sharing again," the man said lightly. "I'm sure Cid and Vincent don't want to know."

When he dropped his hand, Aeris sighed. "But how am I supposed to brag about you if nobody ever wants to hear?" she said mournfully. That lasted around a second before Zack scooped her out of Sephiroth's lap and settled into another chair, gnawing on her throat. His lap now cold, Sephiroth simply curled an arm around Cloud's waist and pulled him to rest on him.

Valentine and Highwind both tensed again, and he felt the urge to do something to rile them up more. He immediately placed the blame for this urge on Zack and rested his forehead against the back of Cloud's shoulder. There was more muscle there than the last time he had done this. Just another of the many changes he hadn't been around to see, or had been the cause of.

He knew he would never be able to apologize enough, even if the other three did place the blame on Hojo and Jenova. _Sephiroth_ had been the one weak enough to break, and that was all that really mattered. He knew he had to make it up to the others in some way, but he wasn't sure how.

Eventually, though, he would, and maybe then he'd feel like the wary looks and the fear weren't something that he had to notice anymore.

Listening quietly to Cloud and the two men catching up in quiet words, or to Aeris's soft giggles as Zack continued to chew upon her neck, Sephiroth let it soothe him. These people cared about him, and that simple fact meant more to Sephiroth than he would ever be able to admit. And the others cared about Cloud, which was also good.

So he was silent, arms wrapped around the smaller man, listening to the conversation meander around. This right here was more than he had ever expected. Even when Zack had first managed to push Sephiroth off his carefully balanced apathy, Sephiroth had never known a feeling like this had existed, let alone that he would be in the middle of it.

Surrounded by those who he called lovers, and people who care for them, even if they didn't feel anything for Sephiroth himself besides dislike, was a good feeling. So he quietly sat there and soaked it up, enjoying it as best he could. Life was simply too chaotic to do so otherwise.

And it didn't take long for that fact to be proven when the sound of a PHS cut through the sounds of their breakfast, causing most of the conversation to stop as Highwind cursed and patted his pockets until he found the device. He looked at it for a moment, brow furrowing, then glanced around the room at the others. Watching him from over Cloud's shoulder, even Sephiroth could see the man's discomfort, especially when their eyes locked for a long moment. The device rang again, and this time, almost grimacing, the pilot answered it.

"Hello, Tifa."


	5. Chapter 5

The morning was calm, and Tifa sat at the table, quietly sipping on the mug of tea she had fixed herself. She blamed Cid for getting them hooked on the stuff while traveling together, but she would admit it was soothing. Which was something she needed.

Her mind wasn't wanting to process the events of the night before. Not really. She was very confused by it all, and Cloud vanishing right after had not helped things.

The church had been in a bit of chaos, and she had been forced to set aside her own thoughts on the matter and help get things calmed down before anything bad had happened. There had been some panic as people realized that _Sephiroth_ was back, and the man was out loose. Thankfully, more than a few had already known Aeris, and that had helped things calm down a lot. Besides, they trusted Tifa and the others, and calmed when they had been told that Cloud wouldn't do anything to put the world in danger again.

Tifa just hoped that that trust was in the right place. Cloud had been manipulated by Sephiroth before, and while she thought that was over, she just couldn't figure out why the man was back.

Well, given the kiss, maybe she could.

Still, it was confusing. Why had Cloud done it? Aeris and Zack, she could understand. He had enough guilt over both of them to flood the world. Nothing she or the others had ever done had ever made him feel less guilty. It was simply part of who he was. Everyone had pretty much accepted it, even if she wanted to kick his ass over it when he upset the kids.

And, it fit, really. Cloud had lost them both so early. Zack and Aeris had been young, and they had both died protecting what they had cared for. If anyone deserved a second chance at life, it was them.

Sephiroth, though...

She still remembered the oddest of details. The way the sparks flew up over the fires, moving to set the trees up in flames. Or the way the cries faded, just a few at a time, as the town got quieter and quieter, with only the crackle of the flames. The heat of the fires fading as she ran, no long scorching her lungs as cool mountain air finally pushed back the heat as she had gone for the reactor.

Sipping the tea, she sighed. She didn't remember much of what had happened after the fire. Until Mideel, she hadn't even remembered Cloud having been there at all. Everything blurred together into a mess of anger, pain, and loss.

It had been the same for Cloud. His mom had died, and he had ended up in Hojo's labs. Which is why she just couldn't understand why he had been willing to help bring the man back.

True, they had a history of manipulation and control, but she was sure Cloud was past that now, had been past that for years. So if that wasn't the cause, what was?

Those were all things that had run through her mind last night. Even as they had calmed others, she had only gotten more confused herself.

Denzel had stuck close to her, while Marlene had stayed with her dad. Cid and Barrett's yells for people to shut up had finally gotten the crowd to quiet down enough for Tifa and the others to do some good at settling people who were frightened. Helping them had helped her calm down as well, and Tifa knew that Cloud had to have some type of explanation.

Still, it didn't seem like she was getting it then, and she heard a few new rumors spreading even as people stopped worrying of another Meteor coming down on them. Those rumors were of a whole different flavor, and she decided to leave before things got even more bizarre. Collecting Denzel, she found herself joined by Yuffie, Barrett and Marlene, Cait, and Nanaki. It was a good thing she had room for people to crash. Cid and Vincent went their own way.

The trip back to the place where they lived was quiet, and Tifa wasn't surprised when Barrett and the others had decided to go walk around Edge. They had said they wanted to see how much it had grown, though she knew better. She hadn't wanted to talk about what had just happened, and there had been too much agitation for any of them to go to sleep early. At least the adults. Denzel and Marlene both looked exhausted.

It was Denzel's quiet question that had made Tifa realize what had been agitating her so much.

"Tifa," he had said, looking out the window after the others had gone for their walk. "Is Cloud coming home?"

She had opened her mouth to assure him that Cloud was, but found she couldn't say anything.

She didn't know.

That was what was bothering her so much. Well, outside the entire Sephiroth issue. She simply didn't know what this meant for the future. It was disconcerting, and she found herself not sure on how to deal with it.

Marlene had helped. She had just looked at them after Denzel's question and smiled. "Oneesan is back," she said cheerfully. "Oneesan won't let anything bad happen to them."

After that, Tifa had gotten them to bed, and sat down to have a long, hard think.

In the end, there was only one real decision to pick.

She would have to talk to Cloud and try to listen with as open a mind as she could.

Which was why, when morning came, she looked at her house guests, who were sleeping all over the place, and decided to call Cid and Vincent. Might as well make Cloud talk to all of them at once, rather than have to make him go through the reasons over and over again.

When Cid picked up, she sighed. "Hey, Cid. I was wondering if..." A pause, as she listened carefully to the background noise. "Cid...is Aeris there?" She swore she heard Aeris giggling in the background.

Cid coughed a bit. "Yeah, she's here. Others are, too. They had gotten some type of mob outside of Cloud's place."

Grimacing into the phone, Tifa sighed. "Good mob or bad, and why are they over there? Decided to steal them for yourselves?" A bit of teasing in her tone.

"Nah, Vincent just decided he wanted to feed them breakfast and...hey, stop that! Drink your tea the right damn way. And stop that! God damn it, there are other people here. Shit, Vincent, get me a squirt bottle or somethin', need to spritz them or something."

There was some type of protest in the background, and she thought she heard Vincent telling Aeris that, really, she did not need to share.

What on earth...?

"Cid," she said after a minute, trying to not laugh at some of the sounds she heard coming over the phone, though she did smile when she heard Cloud laughing. Hadn't heard him laughing in a while. "We'll be over in a bit."

"Better not mess up my plane."

"We'll be there in a little bit, Cid," she said, shutting the phone on his continued protests that they had better not break his plane, and stood.

This is how it was. Now, to see where it was going to go.

Nodding to herself, Tifa went to wake up the others.

* * *

Muttering as he hung up the phone, Cid eyed the four who were still goofing off in front of him.

Four.

While Sephiroth might not have been as open about it as Aeris and the Zack guy, or even smiling or laughing as much as Cloud, he was still smiling slightly, something in his eyes reminding Cid of himself. It was just a little, and it was from the first time Cid had looked in the mirror after going to outer space, but it was there. That quiet contentment of finally getting what he had always wanted.

Wasn't something a person could hide, no matter how much they had wanted to. He hadn't been able to, and Sephiroth couldn't either. It was the look in his eyes as he watched the other three, and the small smile on his lips. Even his body language said it. He was relaxed. Not totally, but Cid couldn't blame him. Not like they hadn't hunted him down for the sheer purpose of killing him. Even if it had been Blondie every time.

Speaking of Cloud, Cid was a bit surprised to realize how nice it was to hear the kid laugh. While he wasn't one for playing around, it had worried him some when Tifa had talked about how remote Cloud had been getting over the last two years. The only person that Cid knew saw the blond on a regular basis besides Tifa and the kids was Elmyra and Vincent. And the only reason he knew about Elmyra was because Cloud had asked him to stop by her new home and look at a few things. For all his gifts and the fact he could do the repairs on his own bike, Cloud knew he was worthless with most household machinery. So he had asked Cid to fix the things making odd noises.

Cid hadn't gotten nearly as much a chance to get to know Aeris as the rest had, but her death had still shocked him more than he expected. There had been guilt there as well. She had been so young, far too young to die when people like Cid were still running around driving people nuts. Since he couldn't help her when she was alive, Cid did what he could for the people she had cared about, and he did it for Cloud. Whatever guilt he had felt, it was nothing compared to what Cloud had developed after the entire saving the world thing had gotten done and stopped distracting him.

For Cloud, she had just been the latest in the lines of losses.

Right now, Sephiroth was watching the other three, smiling and relaxed in a way that reminded Cid of Vincent, that wary, never fully relaxed way. The only times he actually lost it was when Zack leaned in and murmured into his ear, usually getting a swat from Aeris, who had stolen Sephiroth's lap again. Cloud simply smiled and would lean in and echo the whisper into Aeris's ear. Earning himself a swat as well, most of the time.

By now, about half of Sephiroth's hair was done up into tiny braids, which he eyed, but left alone, giving her a long-suffering look. Still, that look of contentment never left.

"Cid, do you think red or green would be better?" Aeris asked suddenly, looking at the pilot. Confused, he blinked at her, unsure what she was asking about. She waved the end of one of the braids around. "For his hair, should I use red ribbons or green? I always wanted to do this before, but we never had the time, given he always had to be a fuddy-duddy and head back early the few times he got to visit us. So now that I can play with his hair, I will, and I need to figure out what color ribbons to use."

Sephiroth's expression was almost hangdog, and that almost broke Cid's brain more than the contentment had. Sephiroth, general and madman, almost pouting.

Cid wanted a camera. Nobody would believe him. If he ever told anyone he had seen Sephiroth with that expression, he'd end up locked away somewhere for his own safety.

Though his thoughts had given him a question.

"When are you telling Elmyra?"

A general pause, and he found himself the focus of four sets of eyes, three with a bit of dawning "oops", the last one clueless.

"Elmyra?" Sephiroth asked, finally.

"My mom," Aeris answered him. "We'll have to go as soon as we get done talking to the others. I don't want her to hear rumors and get upset, and it's not something I should drop on her on the phone..."

Zack shifted, and then leaned against Sephiroth some. "Maybe Spike should take you out there on his bike, Aeris. Once we get done here. It'll be good for you guys to see each other, _and_ you'll get to ride Spike's kickass bike."

There were currents there that Cid wasn't getting, though he did see the tension that sprung up in Zack once Elmyra was mentioned. He wasn't the only one to see it. A moment after Zack had tensed, Cloud had as well, watching the dark haired man.

Another person Cid wasn't really sure how to react around. He wasn't sure what real role Zack had played in all their lives, other than lover, and the fact he had known the man in a vague way as General Sephiroth's SiC and in nearly as many photos as Sephiroth had been in. Outside those facts, he didn't really know anything about Zack.

"Zack, you know Mom didn't really mean anything she said the last time you two...talked." Aeris looked unhappy, and reached up to tug Zack down for a hug. "She felt guilty after she heard what happened."

Watching this, feeling more than a little intrusive, but not willing to stand up and leave and make even more of a scene, Cid held still, feeling Vincent do the same next to him. Cloud and Sephiroth were looking at the other two with the same curiosity that Cid felt, and he had a feeling that they were just as clueless as him.

"I know she didn't really mean it, Aeris," Zack mumbled, letting his forehead rest against hers as he leaned down. "Still, was a bit of a shock to hear those words from her. And given what happened next..." He trailed off, looking a bit strained around the eyes.

Aeris scowled a bit, hugging him tighter. "You know she didn't mean it. She never would have said it if she through you really weren't going to come back from the mission."

"She was doing what she thought best to protect you. I _know_ that. Still, being told that she hoped I never came back from Nibelheim was a hell of a shock, babe."

There was a little surprised grunt-gasp from Aeris as she let go of Zack and swatted Sephiroth's hands. "Sephiroth, air," she gasped, and Cid realized that the man's arms had gotten very tight around her as he looked at Zack, eyes slightly angry. Feeling the urge to grab a weapon at the look on Sephiroth's face, Cid managed to beat the urge down as Cloud and Zack both snagged one of Sephiroth's arms and tugged, hard.

Letting out a harsh rasp of air, Sephiroth closed his eyes and took a slow, deep breath, letting it out slowly, relaxing his arms at the same time. "Sorry," he said, after a moment. "I... That is not the most pleasing thing to hear." He glanced at Zack, looking oddly confused. "I know your mother feared for your safety from Shinra, but why would she want anyone to hurt Zack? That," a pause. "That makes little sense to me."

Cid continued to watch, exchanging glances with Vincent, and then eyeing the door. If only he could get out before this got even more uncomfortable.

"Guys," Cloud said softly. "Not now. We can talk about it later. Right now, Tifa and the others are on their way, and I want us to be ready for them, okay?"

The soft plea in his voice was enough to make the others drop it for the moment, and Cid could only sigh slightly in relief. "That's right," he agreed. "And don't any of you even think about anything that might lead to my ship ending up damaged, or _I'll_ take the worth of it out of your hides myself, got it? That includes all of you."

He gave them all a look, not glaring any more at Sephiroth and Zack than he did at Aeris or Cloud. Aeris was included as she would not stop trying to break their brains with small comments about positions or this or that. She had Cid on the edge of retreating to the cockpit. Who know such sneakiness laid behind such an innocent face.

"Cloud and Cid are right, you two." She looked at Sephiroth and Zack as if Cid wasn't including her in his glare. "Now, Cid, before we get distracted again." She held up a mass of Sephiroth's hair as Zack and Cloud let go of the man's arms.

"Tell me, red or green?"


	6. Chapter 6

It was odd to find himself in this position.

Zack had figured it might happen, eventually, but when he thought about it then, it had been the four of them and Cloud's mom. And if she was anything like her son, that thought had been enough to make him twitch. Especially given how Elmyra felt about him and the other men in Aeris's life. Now he knew why the woman was so protective, but back then he had been mostly confused. Shin-Ra didn't have the best reputation in the world, but for that much out and out hatred to be directed at him, personally...

It had hurt, even though he wouldn't admit how much.

Then Nibelheim had happened, and he knew he would never get a chance to squirm in front of Cloud's mom like he had planned. Even thought about bringing her gifts to hopefully bribe a good reaction out of her.

She had been a nice lady, in the small amount of time he had gotten to meet her. Cloud had only dared visit the once while they were in town, and had dragged Zack with. The dark haired man had been introduced as a friend, and Mrs. Strife had seemed pretty happy about that. Zack got the feeling that Cloud had never had many friends when he lived back in Nibelheim.

Now he found himself in front of a whole set of them, several who were glaring at him, and even more glaring at Seph.

He looked them over. Tifa, Yuffie, Cid, and Vincent he now knew from first hand experience. The others, Cait and Nanaki, he had watched from the lifestream after Aeris had gotten there. They had spent a lot of time talking between Aeris doing what she had to in order to help save the world.

He was really proud of her and Cloud. He always knew Cloud would be good if he got the chance, and the fact that his green-eyed girl had helped save the world along with Cloud and these people, well, it made a guy proud. Even if it was another person he had been dating who had been trying to destroy it.

There had been a lot of long, long talks with Seph in the lifestream as well. A lot of talks, quite a few fights, and several bursts of fear when the man faded away again.

Part of the reason Sephiroth had been sent back, Zack knew, was if he was out of the lifestream, he would be less exposed to Jenova's influence.

Tearing his mind away from those thoughts, Zack focused on the people in front of him. Next to him was Cloud, Seph at the blond's other side, and Aeris on the other side of him. While the others were watching them, he watched the others.

The first place any of the people had looked at was at Cloud and Aeris. The signs of relief in Tifa's eyes had done a lot to help the knot loosen in Zack's chest. She was an important one, and he really wanted her to stay friends with Cloud and Aeris.

After looking at Cloud and Aeris, it seemed as if everyones attention seemed to focus on Sephiroth. Zack almost made a joke about being ignored, but he wanted to get a feel for how they might act, and so he sat, silent, as he watched them.

Well, almost everyone focused on Sephiroth.

He hadn't expected the cup that suddenly was flying at him.

Snagging the, thankfully empty, teacup out of the air, he blinked at Yuffie as Cid snarled something about not throwing his glasses around. The girl ignored Cid, and the fact she had managed to snag everyone else's attention, and was glaring at Zack.

"Idiot. How could you get yourself killed," she scowled at him. "You were almost as good as me, so how could you let Shin-Ra mooks kill you?"

"Hey," he said, setting the cup aside and holding his hands up to fend off the random accusation, "it's not like I -wanted- to end up dead. Besides, what's this 'almost as good as you' crap? We both know I'm ten times more awesome than you."

"Bah. I didn't die when Shin-Ra tried to kill me. That automatically makes me much better than you."

Sephiroth sighed and just shook his head. "I'm back in Wutai. Cloud, please knock me out. I don't want to listen to them do this again."

Yuffie scowled, and stole Tifa's teacup and flung it at Seph. Zack chuckled as the man caught the glass, looking downright disgruntled as tea splattered on his legs from the flight over.

"Where's Barret?" Cloud asked, interrupting what probably would have been an interesting set of questions about how Yuffie and Zack knew each other. Zack was just as happy. He didn't think that him serving in Wutai with Sephiroth would have won him any points with this group, and he wanted them to stay happy with Cloud.

Tifa was the one who answered him. "He's with Marlene and Denzel, who wanted to come see you. He didn't want Marlene near..." she shifted, obviously not wanting to be too insulting until things had been talked about.

"A madman who attempted to destroy the world," Sephiroth finished for her, voice blank of emotion. He looked down, hair shifting and catching the light as he did, and Zack felt the urge to ruffle Seph's hair and help him feel as normal as the man could feel.

It wasn't until Cid snorted in barely suppressed laughter before Zack realized that the braids and ribbons Aeris had left in Seph's hair were showing again, though the man had done his best to hide it under the rest of that mass of silver hair.

"I went with green," Aeris said calmly, a gleam of amusement in her eye as she looked at the others proudly.

The others looked back, most of them with expressions full of dumbfounded shock.

That worked for Zack. Seph would hate being embarrassed, but it was helping them see the man as more human. That had always been a major issue.

Now for things to get fun.

* * *

Nanaki felt the urge to laugh. He didn't feel that way often, but seeing the braids in Sephiroth's hair made him want to laugh hard enough to roll on the ground. From the look on Aeris's face, she had something to do with the new hairstyle the man was sporting. Sephiroth himself simply looked as if he was torn between ignoring the looks he was getting or hiding.

The man was amazing easy to read, Nanaki realized. Of course, Vincent had been a steady visitor to Cosmo Canyon over the last few years, and he was always hard to read. Nanaki had gotten better at it, and the skill had transferred over to Sephiroth. Nanaki suddenly had the mental image of Sephiroth and Vincent being silent at each other and understanding just what the other meant.

Another reason he wanted to laugh.

But, sadly, he had his dignity to consider, and he doubted it would survive him giggling like Yuffie and acting as young as he was. Still, he wouldn't forget the image. Perhaps later, if things went well, he'd be able to share it.

"Why are you here?" he asked, breaking through the building tension with a simple question. Simple, but important. Cloud had been under the man's thrall once before, and while Nanaki trusted the blond, he wanted to make sure that things were not that bad again. Though Aeris's presence helped him with that. She would not be so easy to trick.

The dark haired man he didn't know, other than what Tifa had said, and he hoped for an introduction soon. The man was the most relaxed of the four, but he was keeping an eye on Nanaki and the others, and that made Nanaki wonder who the man really was. The Planet had given him back, so he must have been important.

"We're here because of the Planet," Aeris said promptly, curling her fingers around a bit of Sephiroth's hair. "It needed us here, and Cloud is the best at hearing us anymore, so..." She shrugged.

Sephiroth shifted his hand, ignoring the sudden tension of those who watched him, and curled his own fingers lightly around Aeris's wrist, relaxing some at the contact. Nanaki pondered this, trying to figure out how a man who had murdered the girl in cold blood could be so soothed. Had the Planet manipulated him in some way?

"I am here due to the fact that it is for the best," the man said, green eyes lifting to look at the others. "Jenova is not able to manipulate things in the world as well as she can in the lifestream. Zack came with Aeris and myself to help keep what had happened before from happening again."

It was the first time the man had spoke more than a sentence, and Nanaki was surprised at how smooth his voice was. Shin-Ra had really made the man as perfect as they could, hadn't they? He was as attractive a human as any Nanaki had seen, and he must have been a genius to do the things he had been capable of doing before Jenova had contacted him.

He wondered how the man felt about his own abilities.

"Besides," this was from the man lounging next to Cloud, "Spike needs us. Someone needs to tease him about his chocobo hair." Zack grunted when Cloud elbowed him hard in the stomach.

"What happens now?" Tifa asked suddenly, her eyes dark as she looked at the four people sitting together. "Are we supposed to forgive and forget? Forget that you destroyed Nibelheim, murdered all those people, tried to destroy the world more than once? Why should we do that? Why didn't they just destroy you instead of sending you back here?"

Cold words, but true ones.

"Because we need him," Cloud said, voice soft, but firm. "Even though he did so many evil things before...we -need- him. And, no, I'm not under some type of control or anything. But..." he paused, obviously struggling for words. "You know how I woke up in the water instead of staying dead? Apparently there is a reason, one I don't know yet."

"The Planet isn't sharing," Aeris added quietly.

"But whatever the reason is, it gave me them back." Cloud finished. "Before Nibelheim and everything that came afterwards...we were together. And I missed them."

Something in his eyes, an almost broken look, made Nanaki wonder just how much his friend had missed them, and how they could have all missed it.

Tifa just shook her head. "I don't know if I can ever look at him and -not- see the man who killed my father, Cloud. The man who left me almost dead. It's not like the Turks, or even Rufus. That's -Sephiroth-, the man who called Meteor and nearly killed us all."

"I don't expect acceptance," Sephiroth said, looking calmly at Tifa. "The most I can hope for is to be watched with suspicion. I just want my freedom to be with them. It's..." He shifted, looking noticeably uncomfortable. "I care for them, and it's been many, many years since we've been able to be together. If you will not let this be for me, which I understand, I ask that you do for them."

The man was good. Nanaki had to agree with that. If anything would work, appealing to Tifa for her friends happiness was the way to do it. The woman cared a lot for her friends, and Nanaki had seen what she would do to keep them happy.

The hard look didn't leave Tifa's eyes, but she sighed, almost too faint for Nanaki to hear it. Everyone seemed to be waiting on what Tifa did, he realized. Even Yuffie was silent, eyes watching the older woman.

"Cloud, stop by the bar later. Denzel and Marlene are worried about you. Aeris, Marlene wants to see you as well. Zack, it's good to see you. I know how much you mean to Cloud." She looked at Sephiroth, silent for a long moment. "If they want you, fine. I don't have to like you, and I will never forgive you for what you did. Keep away from me and the kids, and I'll just have to accept Cloud's an idiot at times." The last few words were said with a fondness that not even Tifa's hatred for Sephiroth could hide, and Tifa stood.

"I don't know about the rest of you," she said, looking at the wall, "but I'm going to go back and let Barret know we haven't all be eaten by Sephiroth."

"Tifa," Cloud's voice stopped the woman as she was heading for the door. She paused, and looked at him, and Nanaki watched as something wordless pass between them. "Thanks," the man said finally, giving her a small smile.

"Idiot," she said, giving Cloud a smile of her own. "I'll see you later."

She left, and Nanaki felt muscles he hadn't even notice tense suddenly relaxing. That had gone better than he had expected.

Yuffie suddenly stood. "Now," she said, heading for Zack, "we get to see which of us is better."

The sudden amusement in Zack's eyes as he watched Yuffie made Nanaki sigh. There were two of them.

Well, he decided, hearing Cid yelling at them to not even try something that would damage his ship, at least Sephiroth shouldn't be an issue in the future.

Though now he worried about what could be so important that the Planet was giving the dead back life and even returning Sephiroth himself to life.

Nanaki felt the fur on his spine stand on end as he realized he really didn't want to know.


	7. Chapter 7

It started off like any other day. Puttering around the house, finding things to fill her day. Nothing big, nothing major. Just existing.

The knock on the door was unexpected, and she frowned as she headed for it. Nobody was due by, and none of her regular visitors came at this time of the day.

When she opened the door, though, she froze, eyes widening.

Aeris smiled at her. "Mama!"

Elmyra fainted.

* * *

Cloud looked down at the woman he held. "I guess," he said slowly, " that we should have expected that." His voice was sheepish as he held Elmyra for Aeris to look over.

Letting go of a sigh of relief, Aeris nodded. "Put her on the couch. There wasn't any really easy way to break this kind of news you know," she said absently, looking around her mother's new home. "I mean, how are you supposed to say 'Hi, Mom, I'm back from the dead?' At least we were here to catch her, right?"

Nodding, Cloud settled her where he had been directed, taking care to not hurt her by accident. Though the woman had been furious with him right after Meteor happened, she had slowly seemed to come to terms and had treated Marlene and Denzel like her own. Which was good. The kids needed more than Tifa, and Cloud knew he had never been around enough. Besides, they loved her, and she was just as fond of them. It was her who had shown Marlene how Aeris used to do her hair, which the little girl had adopted as her own style.

Right now, though, she looked very, very fragile.

"I kinda hate to see how she's going to react to Seph," he said with a sigh, running a hand through his hair, a Zack gesture that had suddenly made a reappearance in his own actions. "She had some interesting words to me about both him and myself."

"I'm not sure. But it'll all work out," Aeris replied, as she sat next to Elmyra, resting the older woman's head on her lap. "I'm much more curious if Mom is going to have to go get Zack herself. I really don't know what was said during that last fight, Zack wouldn't talk about it much, but it really hurt him. And it's long past time for all those hurts to be forgiven and forgotten."

Smiling at Aeris, Cloud nodded. "I just want us to be happy. I think we've waited long enough and more than paid for it."

A firm nod from Aeris. "Of course. Besides, we have to see if we can get the other two into dresses. Did it to you, so it's only fair if we get them to do it." She shot a teasing look at him as Cloud squawked faintly. "Course, we should get you to do it again so I can get a decent picture. What do you think would look best on Seph, hmmm?"

Oh, not good. She had that look. That look that promised amusement for everyone, wanted or not. The urge to hide was strong. Not even Sephiroth could make Cloud want to hide like that.

Luckily, he was saved when Elmyra made a small sound, stirring, and Aeris focused on her again... But not before giving him a look promising they would talk about it later.

"Wake up, Mom. I'm home."

At Aeris's words, Elmyra opened her eyes and stared at her for a long moment before blinking rapidly. "Is this a dream? I thought I had stopped having these dreams so long ago."

That made Cloud ache for the woman, and he felt a fresh wave of guilt. Even if the lost ones were back now, there had been years where they had been dead. Zack's parents were next on the list of people to visit. Elmyra was closer, and they were heading for the farm next to pick up golds to cross the water to Zack's family home. Cid was giving them a ride from Edge when they got back to the city. Said something about needing to run a few things out that way anyway.

Right now, though, right now was for Aeris and her mom.

"It's not a dream. Promise. And when have I ever broke a promise to you?"

"When you said you'd come home safe," soft, soft voice as tears began to fill Elmyra's eyes.

"I'm home now, Mom. Promise." Wiping away one of the tears that spilled down a pale cheek, she smiled sadly at her mother. "I'm sorry, I'm so very, very sorry. I never wanted to hurt you."

With a cry, Elmyra flung herself up as best she could, wrapping her arms tight around her daughter in a hug Aeris returned just as tightly.

As the pair cried on each other, Cloud slipped out the front door.

* * *

Sephiroth watched as Cloud came out with only part of his attention, the rest was on making sure Zack didn't vanish to gods knew where. The man had been skittish since they had decided to come here, and had only gotten worse the closer they had gotten. It had reached the point that he was curious on what had happened.

Zack had been defiant towards everyone. Sephiroth in his worst mood, outside of Nibelheim, had only gotten a friendly grin and pestering. Hojo had been dismissed often from Zack's care, and even the President himself could only make Zack stop grinning for small periods of time.

What had the woman said to him to make him react like this?

It made him want to growl, and Sephiroth was almost positive that, if he did, Aeris would lecture him. For a long, long time. Finally being back and being sane, he had no real desire to be lectured at the moment. He would much prefer to finally take the time he had always wanted to simply be with people who hadn't feared him and who cared about him.

Maybe he could get Cloud to sit on Zack? Aeris was much more likely to lecture over that. In fact, depending on state of dress, she might go for a camera. Or encourage a state of undress.

Or was that something people didn't do around their family? If it was, he was sure Aeris would be one of those who wouldn't care and do it anyway.

"He still trying to figure out how to sink into the ground?"

The voice made him start. But only the tiniest bit. He had been so focused on his thoughts that he had not noticed Cloud. That was...disquieting. Most people could not do such a thing.

"Indeed," he said, attention moving to where it needed to be again. "I believe you should sit on him to keep him from fleeing."

That got him a snort. "Right. No, I think that as the heavy one, you should sit on him."

"How about neither of you sit on me," Zack suggested as Sephiroth opened his mouth to debate the heavy one comment. "No offense, but neither of you are light anymore."

Cloud shrugged. "You're the one who dragged me over a continent. I never claimed to be light, and after the labs..."

Zack nodded. "Now you are built like Seph. All really dense muscle. Heavy asses."

"Seph, sit on him and squish him."

That got a long, slow look, and Cloud just shrugged at him, shamelessly unrepentant for what he had said. "You're taller than me, and he just called us both heavy. You squish him. It'll keep him from hiding from Elmyra."

"Guys..." It wasn't a real whine, more of a sigh than anything else, and the one thing guaranteed to get both of their attentions. Sephiroth studied his friend and frowned slightly. Zack was genuinely uncomfortable with the idea of seeing the woman. What had she -said-? This wasn't like him at all, and it worried him greatly.

"Just...drop it. Okay?" Violet eyes were pleading with him, and Sephiroth looked away. "She made it extremely clear how she felt about me before. I'm not going to push it now. Not now. Leave it alone. Please?"

There was no real way for Sephiroth to respond, so he just shook his head and looked back at the house. Even as he wondered how long it would be before one of the ladies came out, the door opened, and Aeris stuck her head out. "Why don't you guys come in?"

She was obviously trying to see past Sephiroth to look at Zack, who had moved to be behind him. Feeling a bit displeased at being hidden behind, even if he -was- the only one tall enough for Zack to do so, Sephiroth shifted out of the way. Zack made a rude noise at him, and moved to stay behind.

Sighing, Sephiroth only moved forward. "You warned her of my presence?" At the nod, he moved to the door, Cloud right behind him, and cast one last look back at Zack. The man just looked back, hesitation clear on his face, and looking very uncomfortable.

"Mom, Zack won't come in. Make him do it."

That tone of voice was -never- one he had heard from Aeris, and he felt something in his neck pop as his head snapped around to look at her with wide eyes. It was very...young. From the gurgle he heard from Cloud, the blond hadn't been expecting it either. The amused look on Aeris's face at their reactions didn't help him feel any less foolish, but it was good to know she had been trying for such a reaction.

Then her mother was behind her, looking thin and tired, and he ducked his head slightly at the look she gave him.

After a long moment of quiet, she made a clucking sound at him. "Don't block the door, young man. Come in, and let me collect my daughter's wayward boyfriend."

He did, feeling a blanket of stunned numbness settle on him in reaction to all these strange things. Young man? Nobody called him that, and he had been clucked at. Like a bird. In total disregard for who he was and what he had done.

Sephiroth listened, though. Didn't dare not to.

That woman unnerved him.

* * *

Elmyra shooed her daughter back into the house with the two men, and sighed, smoothing down her dress slightly, nervous. Cloud deserved apologies as well, but not nearly so much as this man did. The last words they had spoken had not been the kindest, at least on her part. It was a very vivid memory in her head, the look on his face when she had told him that.

Still, nothing to do now but to tell him that she hadn't meant it. Not really. She had never wanted things to turn out like they had, and she had gotten enough details from Cloud through persistent asking to realize just how bad things had been.

Taking a deep breath, she looked up and started to walk to Zack, only to blink as she realized he had gotten close as she had been gathering her thoughts.

"Don't," he said softly. "You meant them then, don't apologize for doing what you thought you had to to keep her safe. I know. It's just..."

A look of old hurt flashed across his face, and she lifted a hand, going still as he turns his face away from her, just the slightest, eye closed in anticipation.

She had slapped him last time they had...talked. Hard enough to leave a red mark, which stayed vivid until he had left. Left when she told him she hoped he died on this mission, that he never came back to Midgar, never brought danger to her daughter again. That Aeris was young, she would forget him, and it would be the best thing for her. That all he would ever do was to get her killed, in some messy, horrible way.

She had stayed angry, sure her words were right.

Until Aeris came to her in tears.

One of the Turks, Tseng, had just brought news to her that Zack had died. Along with Cloud and Sephiroth.

Aeris hadn't believed it, of course, but if Shin-Ra said it, that meant none of them would be coming home.

It was what Elmyra had wanted. But not at the cost it had.

Aeris never let go, never forgot about Zack. Or Cloud, or Sephiroth. Elmyra felt sorry for their losses as well, but it was to Zack she had spat wishes of death at, and it was Zack that had her daughter in tears again, just a few short years later. This time the tears had been more painful.

For as long as she lived, Elmyra would never forget the loss in those green eyes when Aeris said Zack wasn't ever, ever coming home again.

She had been wrong. He was standing before Elmyra now, looking slightly hunted.

"I am going to apologize," she said finally, hand moving to rest on his cheek lightly. "I was trying to protect her, yes, and I did mean them, but you did nothing to really deserve them. She was devastated when you died. And I wished on you the one thing I never wished on anyone. The one thing I never wanted her to feel." A small shake of her head. "Never."

He actually trembled under her fingers. "Just bad timing was all."

An out. He was giving her an out. The woman who had caused him this much pain that he actually tried to avoid her, and now he was just going to pretend to forgive her for it for Aeris's sake.

How could she have ever been so mistaken about him?

"No. It was spiteful and cruel, and I hope that, someday, you'll forgive me for saying such things." Stepping closer, she hugged him, arms tight. She continued to hold him until his hands finally came to rest on her shoulders. "You make her happy. You always have. That should have been enough for me. I am sorry I said those things. You are a good man."

"I thought all I was good for was getting good people killed?" Soft, soft voice.

"I thought so then. I realized different later. If you won't forgive me, then please, for her sake, put up with me. I want her happy, and you make her so. I'll never ask you to visit again unless you wish to, but, this once, tolerate me enough to come in so she won't feel the need to leave too soon."

All of that was mumbled into his shoulder, and there was still silence, neither of them moving, neither of them speaking. Then, slowly, he relaxed in her arms, hand reaching up to rest on the top of her head.

"That hurt more than almost anything else anyone had ever said to me. Only Seph calling me what he did in Nibelheim hurt more, and this was still damn close. I love her. Always did. I never did understand why you would never trust me, not till later. And nothing I did deserved that. At all." He sighed. "I'll try. That's all I can do."

"That's all I can ask," she said, letting go of him. "Come inside now, before Aeris comes out and pouts at us."

The hesitation was still clear, but it was slightly less than before. She wasn't forgiven, and this was the man who had always forgiven everyone he knew. But he was willing to try. Now she just had to prove that she was worth forgiving.

She had her daughter back. She could forgive anything anyone had done. Cloud for taking her. Sephiroth for killing her. Zack for keeping her.

Now, to get him to forgive her for driving him away.

* * *

The visit had been a long one, Aeris and her mom had a lot to talk about. During the course of it, Zack had relaxed. Not fully, but some. He really did get why Elmyra had told him the things she had, but five years of hurt didn't just vanish.

It was strange. If the mission had gone normal, if they had all come home all right, Zack would have forgotten what she had said in weeks. But it hadn't. And for years, -years-, he had repeated the conversation in his head, over and over and over. It was one of the freshest memories he had, the most vivid. It gave him something to focus on during the long stretches of nothing that mako tanks caused, when no other memory would stick.

Hurt, real hurt, was rare, and when it did happen, it was always right there. Like a scab on the back of a hand. Right there, noticed every time a person did something. Just waiting to be picked at, pried off, poked at.

Four years, he remembered and planned. It was all he had to do between the pain and trying to keep Cloud awake, a task that got harder and harder. Especially when he started to lose track of things around him, of time and place.

So he had focused, and remembered.

Now, though, he had to let go. Even three years of being dead hadn't helped with that, so he had a feeling it was going to take a while.

The hug he got from Aeris before they climbed onto their borrowed birds, though...

That made it worth it.

Smiling at the others, he looked at Seph. "You're the only one my parents haven't met yet, Seph. Ready to get the third degree?" He grinned. "Actually, if I recall correctly, none of you got the third degree. Too busy saving the world and all that."

Cloud just smiled at him, a soft, happy smile. "I think your mom is going to ignore the third degree of us to hug you back to death." An amused tone of voice. Zack was proud.

"Probably," he agreed, still grinning, relaxing as they started to move. "Then I'll sic them on you." He nodded, setting the bird to a trot. "The idea of them interrogating Seph amuses me. Think I should tell them he stole my virginity?"

"Zackary..."

Seph's growl made him laugh, and Zack let go of the feelings seeing Elmyra had tangled up. Later. He'd sort them later. For now, it was time to just be here, with them, and enjoy their new lives.

"What? It's true. My father will probably demand you marry me."

The swipe at his head made him duck and yelp, laughing already as he urged the bird faster, which it did easily. Seph was right behind him as they rode, intent on swatting Zack upside the head. Trailing them, he could hear Aeris laughing, and could just imagine Cloud's smile.

Being alive, again, was good.

End


End file.
